


The Basics

by queen_scribbles



Category: Pillars of Eternity
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-05
Updated: 2017-03-05
Packaged: 2018-09-28 11:27:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,752
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10098470
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/queen_scribbles/pseuds/queen_scribbles





	

She approached him the first night they made camp free of the mountain’s chill. They’d gotten settled in; armor discarded, Sagani and Keya were working on dinner, a generally relaxed air lay over the lot of them. Aloth was studying one of the grimoires they’d picked up in the mountains, looking for any new spells he could learn, when Tavi walked up.

She set the point of the dagger she carried against the stump he was using as a table and gave the weapon a spin. “You know how to use blades, right, city slicker?”

Aloth looked up from his tome, not the least bit thrown(anymore) by her lack of preamble. He glanced from her to the rapier hilt still poking out from among his things. “No, I just carry one for show, to intimidate those who aren’t afraid of you or one of our other… fine companions.”

Rather than smirk and roll her eyes at his sarcasm, as he’d expected, Tavi plunked down cross-legged and met his gaze, her brown eyes dead serious. “No, Aloth, I’m… you do, right?”

“The basics, yes,” he replied, setting aside the grimoire to give her his full attention. “I tend to rely more on my spells.”

“I want you to have this.” Tavi pushed the dagger far enough into the stump it didn’t topple when she let go.

Aloth reached over and pulled it free. The hilt was still warm from her hand, the blade almost long enough to be considered a short sword. “Why?”

“It’s probably better than your rapier, and after the Forge, I… I wanna be sure you’re safe. Y’know, when I’m not there to protect you,” Tavi tried to joke, but the smile didn’t _quite_ reach her eyes. 

“Ah.” So that’s what this was about. “Tavi, I’m fine. There was no lasting damage, I promise.”

“I know, I just…” She sighed, ran one hand through her hair. “I guess with how long I’ve spent on the run, sometimes completely dependent on my blades to survive, I trust physical weapons more than anything for protection.”

Aloth bit back the first comment that came to mind, gaze flicking briefly to the scar poking over the open collar of her shirt. _They did a right good job protecting you there._ “I take your meaning,” he nodded instead.

“Good.” Tavi’s shoulders slumped a little in relief. A spark of mischief filtered back into her eyes. “Now, when you say you know the basics…”

“I can take care of myself,” he assured her, wary of that mischievous spark.

“Show me.” She pushed to her feet and started pulling her hair back in a ponytail.

“What?!” He almost dropped the dagger, voice rife with skepticism. Nether of them were wearing armor, Tavi’s shirt didn’t even have _sleeves_ (a fact he’d been trying very hard to ignore, with limited success).

“Show me,” Tavi repeated, grinning as she brushed back tendrils of hair not long enough to reach the ponytail. “Set my mind at ease, Corfiser.”

There was _just_ enough of a challenge in her voice Aloth could tell she wasn’t going to let this go. “You are aware most of the spells I know are just as dangerous in close quarters, yes?”

“Yeah.”

“Then why bother with this?” he asked as he reluctantly got to his feet as well.

“Because.” Tavi shrugged and bent to pick up one of her sabres. “I want you to show me.”

He eyed her as she stood there, in the deceptively, dangerously relaxed posture he’d seen her take when talking to brigands, knaves, and various other ne’er-do-wells, and forced back a smile. It was easy to see how people might assume they could catch her off-guard. But he’d fought alongside her too long to take the bait.

“You know,” Aloth began, feeling the dagger’s enchantments hum as he tightened his grip. “If this is supposed to be me showing how well I can defend myself, wouldn’t the first move be yours?”

She grinned. “Touche.” And just like that, she was moving forward, slowly, like a wild cat sizing up prey.

He moved as she did, keeping just out of reach. “Tavi, this is ridiculous-”

She lunged. It was an easy enough move to dodge. Which he did; a simple spin on one heel, using the dagger to ensure her sabre came nowhere near him. She made a couple more similar attacks and feints, which he sidestepped and ignored accordingly.

“I know you’re _much_ better than this,” Aloth commented, running his fingers through his hair.

“I’m takin’ it easy on you,” Tavi retorted. “Case we have different definitions of _the basics_.”

“I see.” From the look on her face, he’d bet money that wasn’t the only reason.

Tavi stared at him for another minute, looking vaguely frustrated. Finally, she sighed as if in resignation, dug the point of her sabre into the ground, and approached him, loosening a short length of leather cord from around her wrist. “Hold still.” With quick–yet surprisingly gentle–movements, she pulled his hair up in a ponytail as well. “It’s a distraction.”

“Tavi, I fight with my hair loose all the time,” Aloth felt obligated to point out. “I do fine.”

“I didn’t say it was a distraction for _you_ ,” she muttered, face red from more than exertion.

He couldn’t help a quiet, wry chuckle as he brushed the back of his hand against her arm. “That makes us even, then.”

Tavi grinned and pressed a quick kiss to his cheek before stepping back to retrieve her sabre. “This mean you want me to stop takiin’ it easy on ya, city slicker?”

Aloth answered the teasing jibe with a smirk. “Not entirely, but you could try a _little_ harder.”

“Alright, then.” Tavi grinned dangerously and shifted her grip on her sabre as she charged in again.

This time was definitely more of a challenge; two strikes in quick succession at different angles. He actually had to step back as he blocked them, well aware she was likely trying to back him up against one of the trees a few yards behind him.

“I have a question,” he said, sidestepping and feeling her blade nick the rolled-up cuff of his sleeve. “Are you simply interested in testing what swordsmanship I have, or do you want me to react as I typically would in such a situation?”

“Considerin’ I know the latter would mean me gettin’ a face full of fire spell right about now, let’s stick with swordsmanship,” Tavi said with a knowing smirk. “I know you can handle yourself with spells, anyway.”

And so back and forth they went, occasionally trading sarcastic comments along with strikes, until both of them were breathing hard and Tavi was grinning in satisfaction. She’d only managed to back him into a–figurative–corner once, neither of them had drawn blood, and Aloth had thoroughly proven he could handle himself, were he to wind up in a situation where his only recourse was a blade.

“Alright,” Tavi panted, dropping with a complete lack of grace to lay on the ground. “We’re good.”

Aloth smirked a little bit as he sat next to her. “Seen enough to convince you?”

“Uh-huh,” she nodded, grinning up at him. “I’m satisfied you know the basics.”

“Good. Wouldn’t want you worrying about me,” he said, faint note of teasing in his voice, as he fiddled with the rip she’d put in his sleeve.

“Never said that was gonna stop,” she shot back, still grinning. She propped herself up on her elbows and looked pointedly at his sleeve. “Want me to fix that for ya?”

Aloth raised an eyebrow. “You?”

“S’only fair,” Tavi shrugged. “I’m the one that did it.”

“No, I mean… you know how to _sew_?”

She stuck her tongue out at him for his skepticism. “I know the basics. Who’dya think mended my fuckin’ tent? Or hemmed this when I… unburdened it of its sleeves?” She plucked at the front of her (slightly sweaty)shirt. “I may not be gold standard for tailors or anything, but I can do a straight fuckin’ line.”

“I take your point,” Aloth said, bracing one elbow against his knee and resting his chin on his palm. “Not often _I’m_ the one getting under _your_ skin,” he commented, amused. “Usually the other way around.”

“I must be rubbin’ off on you,” Tavi said gleefully, sitting up and dusting dirt and dead grass from what remained of her ponytail as she mirrored his pose.

“Why couldn’t it have been the other way around?” he deadpanned, eyes twinkling as he flicked back loose wisps of hair.

“I’m wounded, Corfiser,” Tavi declared, hands clasped over her heart. “I thought you’d _noticed_ how good of an influence you’ve been on me.”

Aloth raised an eyebrow again, blatant skepticism writ across his face.

“Every time I _talk_ to an opponent first–’specially the really irritatin’ ones–rather’n just runnin’ ‘em through, is me showin’ _restraint_. Learned that from _you_ , city slicker. And I leaned a buncha new curses from Iselmyr.” If she was honest, that last was tacked on just to watch him sputter. She scooched closer as she enjoyed _that_ victory and tweaked the end of his ponytail. “You’re cute when you get all red in the face like that.”

Aloth glared at her, but it was (almost) completely lacking heat. “I’m glad we’ve both been of service to you.”

“Oh, don’t be like that, city slicker,” Tavi laughed. “You know I like you way better. I’m just teasin’.” She curled her fingers around the collar of his shirt and tugged him into a kiss. “It’s part of my charm. You’ve been travelin’ with me long enough, you should know basics like that by now.”

“I suppose you’re right,” Aloth said softly, nodding slightly before kissing her back.

“Course I am,” Tavi said cheerfully, shooting him a playful wink as she sat back. “Now, outta that shirt. So I can fix it for you,” she clarified, shaking her hair completely free of the mostly-destroyed ponytail.

Aloth sighed as he pulled his shirt over his head. That pause had been deliberate, he knew it. She was in a teasing mood, probably amplified by the adrenaline of their practice bout. _Just another part of the basics,_ he thought wryly as he handed over the shirt and stood to dig a fresh one out of his pack. He couldn’t complain too much, though.

After all, the basics were what made him fall in love with her.


End file.
